Operations
Two US Navy aircraft carriers meet in the Mediterranean
US Navy carrier strike groups assembled around aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis and USS Abraham Lincoln CSG got together in the Mediterranean Sea for joint operations in the US 6th Fleet area of operations. This is the first time that two carriers have operated in the Mediterranean at the same
French aircraft carrier headed for drills with Indian counterpart, “largest bilateral exercise ever”
French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle and its carrier strike group are set to sail to India where they will be joined by Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and other units for what was described as the largest naval exercise between the two countries ever. The drill, which is
US destroyer Ross stops in Bulgaria on first Black Sea port visit
US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, April 15 for the first port visit of its Black Sea tour. The ship transited the Bosphorus Strait to enter the Black Sea on April 14. The navy did not say how long the destroyer would stay in the region but the 1936 [&he
Italian Navy receives eighth FREMM frigate Antonio Marceglia
The Italian Navy has taken delivery of FREMM frigate Antonio Marceglia from shipbuilder Fincantieri at its Muggiano, La Spezia, shipyard. The eighth frigate in its class overall and the fourth in multipurpose configuration was delivered on April 16. The future ITS Antonio Marceglia was delivered aft
Norwegian logistics and support vessel HNoMS Maud arrives home
HNoMS Maud, the Royal Norwegian Navy’s new logistics and support vessel, arrived to its new homeport of Haakonsvern navy base after a 14,598 nautical mile voyage from South Korea where it was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). Maud arrived in Norway in late March after visitin
USS Abraham Lincoln pulls into Palma de Mallorca for first port call in seven years
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) arrived in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on April 15, for its first port visit in seven years. The ship completed completed a mid-life overhaul in 2017 and has been working up for this deployment ever since. The visit marks the first liberty port cal
Norwegian frigate HNOMS Helge Ingstad returns to water
The Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad was refloated on April 10, less than six weeks after she was transported to the Haakonsvern navy base from the seafloor in Hjeltefjorden. Prior to her raising and transport, the frigate spent several months almost completely submerged after collid
US, French, UK navies kick off mine warfare drill in Persian Gulf
Ships from the navies of the US, the UK and France have kicked off the mine countermeasures exercise Artemis Trident in the Persian Gulf. “Mine laying poses a risk to naval ships as well as merchant shipping vessels,” the US 5th Fleet said in an announcement. “As mines threaten maritime traffic indi
20-ship Black Sea exercise Sea Shield 2019 concludes in Romania
The Romanian-hosted exercise Sea Shield 2019 concluded in the Black Sea on April 13. In addition to Romanian Navy units, the annual drill was joined by five NATO ships which are part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). In total, over 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Gr
Royal Navy destroyer returns from 7-month Middle East drug stint
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon returned to Portsmouth on April 12, completing seven months of drug-busting action in the Middle East. During her time at sea, Dragon carried out eight successful raids on drugs smugglers, capturing narcotics worth an estimated £145 million. HMS Dragon deploye
Royal Navy frigate arrives in Bahrain for three years of operations
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose arrived in Bahrain on April 3 to start a three-year mission in the Persian Gulf state. Montrose sailed into the UK’s new support facility in Bahrain after a six-month journey, which saw her cover 47,000-miles from her home in Plymouth. From Bahrain, she will conduct r
Bomb scare on Royal Navy nuclear submarine yard a hoax
The BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard was evacuated on April 10 after a bomb was reported to have been found on one of the Royal Navy nuclear submarines under construction at the yard. An estimated 1,700 staff are believed to have been evacuated in the process. “Following an extensive sweep of
German air-defense frigate Hessen deploying to Aegean
German Navy F124 frigate FGS Hessen is scheduled to depart its Wilhelmshaven homeport on April 11 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2). The air-defense frigate will replace another German vessel currently deployed to the mission in the Aegean Sea. Combat support ship Bonn deployed to
Royal Navy aviators, jets poised for first overseas deployment in a decade
Royal Navy pilots flying UK F-35B jets in Cyprus will mark the first time in over a decade UK naval aviators are operating overseas. Two months of training in the eastern Mediterranean is lined up for the men and women of the Lightning Force in preparation for their first spell of training aboard HM